Frederick J. Bancroft
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Frederick J. Bancroft (May 25, 1834 – January 17, 1903) was a surgeon during the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
before he settled in Colorado, where he was considered to be "one of the most prominent physicians", according to a ''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...
'' obituary. In the late 1870s, he and the Denver Medical Association created the public health system for Denver, Colorado to improve the health of its citizens. In 1876, Bancroft was the first president of Colorado's State Board of Health. He became
Colorado Medical Society The Colorado Medical Society (CMS) is the largest group of organized physicians in Colorado. This nonprofit organization is composed of physicians, residents and medical students. It was founded in 1871 to promote the art and science of medicine ...
president in 1880. Bancroft was a founder and professor of the University of Denver and Colorado Seminary Medical Department in 1881. Bancroft advocated for public health measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases and licensing prostitutes to reduce the prevalence of
syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms of syphilis vary depending in which of the four stages it presents (primary, secondary, latent, an ...
. He was concerned about the public health issues due to a lack of sewage systems, regulation of the distance between outhouses and wells, disposal of human and animal refuse in the streets and rivers, and the extent to which animals roamed through Denver city streets. It was not until a major flood in 1878 triggered an epidemic that construction of the city's sewer system began. Bancroft, who believed in the importance of
pasteurized milk Pasteurization or pasteurisation is a process of food preservation in which packaged and non-packaged foods (such as milk and fruit juices) are treated with mild heat, usually to less than , to eliminate pathogens and extend shelf life. The ...
, operated a dairy farm in the Bancroft community, which became part of
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in 1969. He wrote about climatology and how certain diseases were affected by climate, which garnered national attention. He was a founder and first president of the State Historical and National History Society of Colorado, now called
History Colorado History Colorado is a historical society that was established in 1879 as the State Historical Society of Colorado, also known as the Colorado Historical Society. History Colorado is a 501(c)(3) organization and an agency of the State of Colorado un ...
. Colorado's Mount Bancroft is named for him.


Early years

Bancroft was born on May 25, 1834 in
Enfield, Connecticut Enfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, first settled by John and Robert Pease of Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony. The population was 42,141 at the 2020 census. It is bordered by Longmeadow, Massachusetts, and East Longm ...
. His mother was a member of the
Oliver Wolcott Oliver Wolcott Sr. (November 20, 1726 December 1, 1797) was an American Founding Father and politician. He was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation as a representative of Connecticut, and t ...
family and his father was a farmer. Bancroft descended from early New England settlers, the earliest arriving in 1660 to
East Windsor, Connecticut East Windsor is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 11,190 at the 2020 census. The town has five villages: Broad Brook, Melrose, Scantic, Warehouse Point and Windsorville. History In 1633, Settlers laid cl ...
. His father's family, the Heaths and Bancrofts, were Puritans who settled in Connecticut. His mother descended from the Bissells and Walcotts from the region.


Education

He studied at the Westfield Academy in
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
and Charlotteville Seminary in New York before studying medicine at the
University at Buffalo The State University of New York at Buffalo, commonly called the University at Buffalo (UB) and sometimes called SUNY Buffalo, is a public research university with campuses in Buffalo and Amherst, New York. The university was founded in 1846 ...
, graduating in February 1861. Bancroft funded his education by himself by teaching school in New York and Connecticut. After the end of the war, Bancroft attended medical lectures at the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
until mid-1866 when he moved to Denver.


Civil War

Bancroft established a medical practice in
Blakely, Pennsylvania Blakely is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The population was 6,657 at the 2020 census. The Lackawanna River flows through Blakely, and within the borough is the village of Peckville. Histo ...
(then in
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) for seven months before he secured an early post for an army military surgeon with the Pennsylvania Volunteers in November 1861. He was a surgeon for the Union Army during the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
, serving as officer in charge of Harrisburg's Church Hospital. Bancroft had a number of assignments from the spring of 1862, when the regiments left the camp, until the following springs when he outfitted a hospital at
Fort Delaware Fort Delaware is a former harbor defense facility, designed by chief engineer Joseph Gilbert Totten and located on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River.Dobbs, Kelli W., et al. During the American Civil War, the Union used Fort Delaware as a ...
for confederate prisoners. He became Post Surgeon for
Fortress Monroe, Virginia Fort Monroe, managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the National Park Service as the Fort Monroe National Monument, and the City of Hampton, is a former military installation in Hampton, Virgi ...
from June 1863 to December 1865. While there Bancroft was assigned to review operations of all nearby hospitals by the
Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...
. He treated
Jefferson Davis Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...
until the Confederate President learned that he was from New England. Thereafter, he was treated by a physician who supported the southern cause.


Career


Private and public practice

He came to Colorado on June 1, 1866, and set up a medical practice in Denver. At that time, Denver had only been a city for seven years. Bancroft, considered to be "one of the most prominent physicians" in Colorado by the obituary reported by the ''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. de ...
,'' was, for several decades, the "default physician-in-charge" for the city. From 1866 to 1869, he was the
Arapahoe County Arapahoe County may refer to: *Arapahoe County, Colorado *Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory Arapahoe County was a county of Kansas Territory in the United States that existed from August 25, 1855, until Kansas's admission into the Union on January ...
physician. He was a physician in the city of Denver between 1872 and 1878, during which time, the dry climate and a widespread vaccination campaign of Denver citizens significantly reduced the threat of
smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...
in the 1870s. Because children were sent to school when they were ill, there was a problem with
typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...
,
whooping cough Whooping cough, also known as pertussis or the 100-day cough, is a highly contagious bacterial disease. Initial symptoms are usually similar to those of the common cold with a runny nose, fever, and mild cough, but these are followed by two or ...
, and
scarlet fever Scarlet fever, also known as Scarlatina, is an infectious disease caused by ''Streptococcus pyogenes'' a Group A streptococcus (GAS). The infection is a type of Group A streptococcal infection (Group A strep). It most commonly affects childr ...
in the 1870s. Bancroft advocated fining parents who sent their sick children to school. He was one of two physicians on the staff of St. Vincent Hospital, which became Saint Joseph Hospital in 1876. From 1872 to 1876, he was the president of East Denver's Board of Education. Bancroft was one of the founders of St. Luke's Hospital and was on the staff until a few years before he died. His private practice clients included
Denver & Rio Grande Railroad The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad , often shortened to ''Rio Grande'', D&RG or D&RGW, formerly the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, was an American Class I railroad company. The railroad started as a narrow-gauge line running south from De ...
, Kansas Pacific and Denver Pacific Railroads,
Union Pacific, Denver and Gulf Railway The Union Pacific, Denver and Gulf Railway was a subsidiary of Union Pacific Railroad created from what was the Colorado Central Railroad in 1890. It operated lines from Denver, Colorado through Cheyenne, Wyoming to Wendover, Wyoming and a route f ...
, and the Wells, Fargo and Company Stage Lines. He became National Association of Railway Surgeons vice president.


Public health

In the late 1870s, he and the Denver Medical Association created the public health system for Denver, Colorado to improve the health of its citizens. A key public health risk was the spread of
syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms of syphilis vary depending in which of the four stages it presents (primary, secondary, latent, an ...
. Bancroft estimated in 1872 that due to the prevalence of prostitution, "probably every third man who reaches the age of twenty-five has acquired ... syphilis" from the
brothel A brothel, bordello, ranch, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments often describe themselves as massage parlors, bars, strip clubs, body rub par ...
s in the city. Bancroft, with the Denver Medical Association, advocated licensing, stipulation of allowed services, and testing and examinations of the city's prostitutes. The proposed program was to be managed by physicians and police. The city decided instead to outlaw prostitution and fine prostitutes. In 1875, the Denver Medical Association's physicians decided that management of prostitutes was a solely a police matter. Bancroft continued to advocate a licensing system, as well as making abortion an attempted murder crime. Denver, though, was not ready to relinquish its "sex-drugs-and-gambling lifestyle" from the
gold rush A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, New Z ...
days. In the 1870s,
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
became more prevalent in the city. Bancroft noted in a March 1873 report to the city council that, of tuberculosis deaths that he reported, 75 of 79 were ill before they sought treatment in Colorado. He had also noted in the 1870s that Denver's citizens had injuries or illnesses due to livestock being driven through and penned on the city streets, sewage and other debris on the city streets, and outhouses placed too close to wells. He stated in a couple of annual reports that the contamination is a significant public health issue and could result in a
typhus Typhus, also known as typhus fever, is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposure. ...
and tuberculosis epidemic, he cautioned the city council. Although there were earlier attempts, it was not until 1880 that Denver began construction of a sewer system. In 1876, he was elected president of the Denver Medical Association. He was a member of the American Medical Association. Bancroft was elected president of the Colorado State Medical Society in 1880. The following year he helped found the University of Denver and Colorado Seminary Medical Department. His name was linked in the 20th century with Dr.
Florence R. Sabin Florence Rena Sabin (November 9, 1871 – October 3, 1953) was an American medical scientist. She was a pioneer for women in science; she was the first woman to hold a full professorship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the first woman el ...
as "creators of the humanitarian healthcare tradition" in Colorado.


State Board of Health

In 1876, he was the first president of Colorado's State Board of Health, which was then called the Territorial Board of Health. The board was created when Governor
John L. Routt John Long Routt (April 25, 1826 – August 13, 1907) was an American politician of the Republican Party. Born in Eddyville, Kentucky, he served as the first and seventh governor of Colorado from 1876 to 1879 and 1891 to 1893. He also served as ...
signed legislation into law creating the nine-member board to investigate public health issues and recommend resolutions. It had an annual budget of $500,000. The Colorado State Board of Health was established on March 22, 1877, with Frederick Bancroft as its president. It had limited responsibility, such as gathering statistics about sewage disposal and water supply. Bancroft also advocated for research into what altitudes were best suited for children's development mentally and physically. Because of their limited role in advocated public health issues, members resigned and waited until the end of their terms to leave their posts. There were no members and the board failed to exist on June 1, 1886.


Author

Bancroft wrote about
climatology Climatology (from Greek , ''klima'', "place, zone"; and , '' -logia'') or climate science is the scientific study of Earth's climate, typically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of at least 30 years. This modern field of stud ...
, specifically how certain diseases were affected by climate, which garnered national attention. He discussed the healthful benefits of recuperating in the state, which is "said to have been responsible for more people moving to Colorado than any other single factor."


Other

Bancroft, who believed in the importance of
pasteurized milk Pasteurization or pasteurisation is a process of food preservation in which packaged and non-packaged foods (such as milk and fruit juices) are treated with mild heat, usually to less than , to eliminate pathogens and extend shelf life. The ...
, operated an 800-acre dairy farm about 5 miles southwest of Denver in the Bancroft community, which became part of
Lakewood Lakewood may refer to: Places Australia * Lakewood, Western Australia, an abandoned town in Western Australia Canada * Lakewood, Edmonton, Alberta * Lakewood Suburban Centre, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Philippines * Lakewood, Zamboanga del S ...
in 1969. Lambert Dairy was located near the intersection of Morrison Road and Harlan Road. The sanitized milk that was produced at Lambert Dairy was supplied to St. Lukes Hospital, where many of his patients were victims of
diphtheria Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Corynebacterium diphtheriae''. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild clinical course, but in some outbreaks more than 10% of those diagnosed with the disease may die. Signs and s ...
and
typhoid Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...
. Bancroft believed that there was a connection between their illness and the ingestion of unpasteurized milk. Some of the farm land was donated by his son, George Bancroft, for the construction of a one-room school that was named "Bancroft School". The Bancrofts also donated land in the area for Midway School.
Herndon Davis Herndon Davis (1901-1962) was an American artist, journalist, illustrator, and painter. He worked at the National War College in Washington, D.C. creating maps of China and Japan. Davis was an illustrator for New York, Washington, D.C. and Denver ...
made a painting of the farmhouse in 1941; it is displayed in the Western History section of the
Denver Public Library The Denver Public Library is the public library system of the City and County of Denver, Colorado. The system includes the Denver Central Library, located in the Golden Triangle district of Downtown Denver, as well as 25 branch locations and t ...
. Bancroft was a founder and president of Agricultural ditch beginning in 1875. It was an important irrigation canal for the Denver region. After having played a key role in 1868 in the development of Denver's Grand Army post, Bancroft became department commander for Colorado and Wyoming. He was Denver's pension examiner. Bancroft helped to improve the Denver schools and from 1872 to 1876, he was president of East Denver schools. He assisted in the administration of Jarvis Hall, founded by his wife's father, and the Episcopalian girls' school, Wolfe Hall.


Colorado Historical Society

In 1879 he was co-founder and first president of the
Colorado Historical Society History Colorado is a historical society that was established in 1879 as the State Historical Society of Colorado, also known as the Colorado Historical Society. History Colorado is a 501(c)(3) organization and an agency of the State of Colorado un ...
, originally called the State Historical and National History Society of Colorado. He served as president for 17 years. Bancroft was a member of the
American Historical Association The American Historical Association (AHA) is the oldest professional association of historians in the United States and the largest such organization in the world. Founded in 1884, the AHA works to protect academic freedom, develop professional s ...
and the
Sons of the American Revolution The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR or NSSAR) is an American Congressional charter, congressionally chartered organization, founded in 1889 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville, Kentucky. A non-prof ...
.


Personal life

Bancroft married Mary Caroline Jarvis, daughter of George A. Jarvis of
Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, in 1871. In 1869, she came to Denver from Brooklyn, traveling on train and stage coach with Bishop George M. Randall and his wife, to cure her tuberculosis. (George A. Jarvis had read an article in a Connecticut paper about Bancroft's view of the curative qualities of the Colorado climate.) Her granddaughter,
Caroline Bancroft Caroline Bancroft (1900–1985) was a journalist and performed in the Ziegfeld Follies. She is known for the books and booklets that she wrote about Colorado's history and its pioneers. In 1990, she was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of ...
, tells that her grandmother was quite ill when she exited the train in Denver and "fell... into the arms" of her future husband. For one year she lived with Bishop Randall and his wife and was then married to Frederick. Mary Caroline, an Episcopalian, was involved in important works within the Denver community and played a leadership role in the St. John in the Wilderness church efforts. She authored the book ''A Retrospective Sketch of the Fortnightly Club, 1881–1888''. The Bancrofts had four children: Mary McLean (1872–1949), George Jarvis (1873–1945), Anna Chloe (1875–1878), and Frederick Wolcott (1880–1963). Frederick Wolcott Bancroft became a physician. Bancroft's granddaughter,
Caroline Bancroft Caroline Bancroft (1900–1985) was a journalist and performed in the Ziegfeld Follies. She is known for the books and booklets that she wrote about Colorado's history and its pioneers. In 1990, she was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of ...
, was a journalist and author of Colorado history. The family lived on
Capitol Hill Capitol Hill, in addition to being a metonym for the United States Congress, is the largest historic residential neighborhood in Washington, D.C., stretching easterly in front of the United States Capitol along wide avenues. It is one of the ...
on Grant Street, "the Avenue of Kings". Their street address was 1775 Grant Street. Bancroft had two working ranches and a summer home on 2,400 acres between Kittredge and
Evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...
. In 1923, the buildings were donated to the Evergreen Conference Historic District. Charles Partridge Adams, who visited the ranch, made a painting in 1897 of the house and ranch for the family.


Death

Mary Caroline died in 1899 soon after the marriage of her son George. Frederick died in 1903. A few years after he retired, Bancroft died of heart failure in
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
, California on January 17, 1903. His remains were buried in Denver, Colorado. The ''Walsenburg World'' said of him, "Dr. Bancroft was prominent In his profession and foremost as a citizen, and iad been identified with the best in the city's progress for almost forty years."


Mount Bancroft

Mount Bancroft, a peak in
Grand Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor * Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist * Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper Places * Grand, Oklahoma * Grand, Vosges, village and commu ...
and Clear Creek counties, is named for him. Noted for his work in public health and the state's history, the summit was named for the doctor, at the request of his son, George Jarvis Bancroft (1873–1945). The decision by the
United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, ...
to name the summit Mount Bancroft was made on March 7, 1906. It is located west of the town of
Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
, within a group of summits including Mount Flora, Mount Eva,
Parry Peak Parry Peak, elevation , is a summit in the Front Range of central Colorado. The peak is on the continental divide southeast of Winter Park in the Arapahoe National Forest. The name honors Charles Christopher Parry, a botanist who made extensiv ...
,
James Peak James Peak is a high mountain summit in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 13,294 foot thirteener is located on the Continental Divide in the James Peak Wilderness of Arapaho National Forest and Roosevelt National Forest ...
, and Colorado Mines Peak. Below the summit is Lake Caroline, named for his granddaughter,
Caroline Bancroft Caroline Bancroft (1900–1985) was a journalist and performed in the Ziegfeld Follies. She is known for the books and booklets that she wrote about Colorado's history and its pioneers. In 1990, she was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of ...
.


See also

* Dr.
Josepha Williams Douglas Josepha Williams Douglas (1860–1938), also commonly known as Josepha Williams, was a physician and co-operator of the Marquette-Williams Sanitarium in Denver, Colorado. She was one of the first female doctors in the state. She, as well as her mot ...
, one of the state's first female doctors and owner and operator of a Denver sanitarium *
Frances Wisebart Jacobs Frances Wisebart Jacobs (March 29, 1843 – November 3, 1892) was born in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, to Jewish Bavarian immigrants and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. She married Abraham Jacobs, the partner of her brother Jacob, and came west with him ...
, advocate for tuberculosis healthcare and founder of Denver's Jewish Hospital


Notes


References


Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bancroft, Frederick 1834 births 1903 deaths Physicians from Colorado Union Army surgeons American surgeons People from Enfield, Connecticut University at Buffalo alumni American public health doctors Historians from Connecticut