We note the death on September 24th,
at his home in Portland, Me., of Dr.
Rufus Shackford, who was one of the
oldest practitioners of our school in the
United States. Dr. Shackford graduated
in 1845 from the Harvard University Med-
ical School and for years had been one of
the best known and esteemed physicians
of Portland.
Rufus F Shackford was born December 17, 1816 in Chester, New Hampshire to Samuel and Harriet (Currier) Shackford. His father was a farmer and miller who was known as a prominent citizen of Chester. We do not know about Rufus' earl education but know that Rufus attended Groton Academy in 1840 and then studied medicine in Groton under Dr James M Cummings, took courses at Dartmouth Medical School, then attended Harvard Medical School where he graduated with the Class of 1845. He then practiced in Groton briefly, moved to Lowell about October 1845 where he was elected to be a member of the Massachusetts Homeopathic Medical Society. By 1848, he moved to Portland, Maine where he practiced medicine for the rest of his life.
About March 28, 1959, when Rufus was 42, he married Louisa Cummings Proctor who was 23 years old. While have only found records of a marriage intention, the 1860 census lists a Louisa C Shackford is listed with Rufus Shackford in Portland, Maine. The marriage only lasted three years - Louisa died of consumption on June 19, 1862. Nine years later, Rufus married Mary Ann Bateman of Portland, also known as Annie who became involved in the Woman's Board of Missions. She died September 28, 1899 of jaundice at the age of 60. Rufus died of cystitis at his home at 148 Park Street on September 24, 1902 of chronic cystitis. According to his obituary, with his death, Portland lost a well known and esteemed physician.
SOURCES:
1850 United States Federal Census, Cumberland County, Maine, population schedule, Portland, page 22, dwelling 96, family 160, Rufus Shackford in home of Peter W Morrill; digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 5 April 2015).
1860 United States Federal Census, Cumberland County, Maine, population schedule, Portland, 5th Ward, Page No 8, Rufus Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 December 2013).
1880 United States Federal Census, Cumberland County, Maine, population schedule, Portland, enumeration district (ED) Enumeration District No 55, Page No 4, dwelling 33, family 34, Rufus Shackford; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 April 2015).
Cutter William Richard, A. M , editor, Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs relating to the Families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume 4 (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1908), page 1804; digital images, Google E-Books (http://books.google.com : accessed 13 September 2013.
Green Samuel Abott, Groton Historical Series: A Collection of Papers Relating to the History of the Town of Groton, Massachusetts, Volume 3 (Groton: University Press, 1893), page 30-31; digital images, Google eBooks, http://books.google.com (: accessed 21 October 2013
Horner James Richey, The Cleveland Medical and Surgical Reporter. January to December 1902 (Cleveland: 1902), November 1902, Vol X, No 11, page 562; digital image, Google Books (https://books.google.com/books : accessed 5 April 2015.
Life and Light for Woman, 1892 (Boston: Frank Wood, 1892), page 378; digital images, Google Books (https://books.google.com : accessed 5 April 2015
King William Harvey, History of Homeopathy and its Institutions in America; their Founders, Benefactors, Faculties, Officers, Hospitals, Almuni, Etc., with a Record of Achievements of Its Representatives in the World of Medicine, Volume 1 (New York and Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), page 228; digital images, Google (https://books.google.com : accessed 5 April 2015.
Maine, Maine, Vital Records, 1670-1907, , Rufus Shackford, 24 September 1902; digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 5 April 2015).
Maine, Maine, Vital Records, 1670-1907, , Rufus Shackford m Louisa Cummings Proctor, 28 March 1859; digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 1 August 2014).
Maine, Maine, Vital Records, 1670-1907, , Rufus Shackford Mary Ann Bateman, 15 November 1870; digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 5 April 2015).
New Hampshire, New Hampshire, Birth Records, Early to 1900, , Rufus F Shackford, 17 December 1816; digital images, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : accessed 19 December 2013).
Publications of the Massachusettts Homeopathic Medical Society, From 1840 to 1861, Volume 1 (Taunton: C. A. Hack & Son, 1871), page 124; digital images, Google Books (https://books.google.com : accessed 5 April 2015