The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Benjamin Greene, M.D.

Title: Certificates and diplomas

Dates: 1859-1860

Call No.: Col. 764

Acc. No.: 80x233, 80x234, 80x235, 80x236

Quantity: 4 items

Location: map case 3, drawer 6

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Benjamin Greene attended medical school at New York University and established a practice in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. He married Eunice A. Chase in 1860. Greene might be the grandson and son of the Boston merchants with the same name, copies of whose account books are held by the Downs Collection.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

Greene’s medical diploma from New York University; a certificate from Bellevue Hospital attesting that he trained there for four months; his membership certificate in the Rhode Island Medical Society; and a certificate attesting to his marriage to Eunice A. Chase. The medical diploma is decorated with an engraving of the university building based on a drawing by Alexander Jackson Davis. The Bellevue certificate is decorated with an engraving of the hospital. The marriage certificate is illustrated with a picture of a wedding.

ORGANIZATION

The items are in accession number order.

PROVENANCE

Purchased from N. David Scotti.

ACCESS POINTS

People:

Chase, Eunice A.

Davis, Alexander Jackson, 1803-1892.

Topics:

Bellevue Hospital.

New York University. School of Medicine.

Rhode Island Medical Society.

Marriage customs and rites.

Medicine – Study and teaching.

Diplomas.

Marriage certificates.

Membership certificates.

Physicians.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: map case 3, drawer 6

80x233 diploma for an M.D. degree awarded to Benjamin Greene by New York University (Universitatis Urbis Neo Eboraci), 1859, signed by Chancellor Isaac Ferris, President Jno. C. Green, Secretary H. Van Schaick, Urbis Praetor Daniel F. Tilliman(?), and professors Valentine Mott, Martyn Paine, Joseph Roper, G. S. Bedford, Alfred C. Post, Wm. H. Van Buren, and John T. Metcalf. The text of the diploma is in Latin.

The diploma is on vellum and is decorated with an engraving of the university building. The engraving includes the note “Town, Davis, Dakin & Douglas, Architects, from a drawing by A.J. Davis, Architect. Engraved by Rawdon, Wright, Hatch & Smillie.” [The architects were Ithiel Town, Alexander Jackson Davis, James Dakin, and Edwin Douglas. The engravers include George W. Hatch and James Smillie.]

80x234 diploma awarded to Greene by Bellevue Hospital, New York City, certifying that he had “attended the practice of the Medical and Surgical wards … for the term of Four Months.” Dated March 1, 1859. Signed by President of the Board of Governors Smith(?) [name illegible] and by physicians and surgeons of the medical board: John W. Francis, Isaac Wood, Valentine Mott, John T. Metcalf, A. C. Clark, B.M. McCready, Isaac E. Taylor, Geor.(?) Elliot, Jr., B. Fordyce Barker, James N. Wood, Chas. D. Smith, Lewis(?) A. Sayre, John J. Crane, and Ephraim(?) Smith.

The diploma is on vellum and is decorated with a view of Bellevue Hospital, which was engraved by Lauder.

80x235 Membership certificate of Benjamin Greene in the Rhode Island Medical Society (Societas Medica Insulae Rhodi). The certificate is signed by Protonotarius Edward A. Crane and Praeses James H. Eldredge, but is not dated. The certificate is in Latin and is printed on paper; the designs of on the certificate were by H. G. Aspinwall.

80x236 Marriage certificate, Benjamin Greene, M.D., and Eunice A. Chase, both of Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Dated November 26, 1860. Signed by Geo. W. Chevers, Chas. Matteson, and George M. Hamlen, minister of the Gospel.

The certificate is printed on paper and includes a picture of a wedding taking place in a private mansion (rather than a church). A decorative border surrounds the text and the picture.