John Archer

Background

John Archer was born on May 5, 1741 in Churchville, Maryland, United States to Thomas and Elizabeth (Stevenson) Archer. His father, originally a farmer from Rathmelton, Ireland, was then an agent for the local iron works.

Education

John was educated at the West Nottingham Academy and at Princeton College, where he received his A. B. in 1760 and his A. M. three years later.

Meanwhile he had begun the study of theology under Presbyterian auspices and had preached a trial sermon; then he turned his attention to medicine, becoming a pupil of John Morgan and beginning attendance at the courses of lectures at the Philadelphia College of Medicine, which later became the University of Pennsylvania Medical Department.

The degree of Bachelor of Medicine was conferred on him June 21, 1768, the first medical degree, involving attendance at lectures, to be bestowed in this country.

Career

Even before Archer obtained his degree he had begun to practise in Newcastle County, Delaware; it is said he declined an offer from Dr. Morgan to go into partnership; at all events he returned to his native county in July 1769 and began a practise which lasted nearly forty years.

During the Revolution he was a member of the local committees from November 1774, and in December of the same year was captain of a militia company, becoming major in January 1776. That August he was a member of the convention which framed the Maryland constitution and bill of rights.

During his many years of practise Archer gave instruction to some fifty medical students, following the custom of the time that a student should remain as assistant to a well-known practitioner for a period of three years, this novitiate serving in lieu of a degree in medicine.

His assistants formed a sort of medical society, the minutes of which are preserved in the library of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland at Baltimore, the state medical society which Archer helped to found in 1799.

He was on its examining board and a member of the executive committee.

In 1801 he was a presidential elector and served as a representative in Congress from that date until 1807.

His health began to fail at the time of the completion of his service in Congress; he had a partial paralysis and gave up active pursuits. He died suddenly, probably from another cerebral hemorrhage, while sitting in his chair at his home in Harford County.

Achievements

• Archer devoted his life to politics and medicine; he contributed a few papers to the Medical Repository of New York and introduced senega as a remedy in the treatment of croup.

Connections

Archer was married in 1766 to Catherine Harris, a daughter of Thomas Harris, of the family that founded Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, by whom he had ten children, of whom five studied medicine.

Father:

Thomas Archer

Mother:

Elizabeth (Stevenson) Archer

Spouse:

Catherine (Harris) Archer

Son:

Stevenson Archer