In Connecticut, Gershom Bulkeley (1636/7 - 1713) owned The herball or, Generall historie of plantes by John Gerard.
Bulkeley was a minister, doctor, & alchemist of Wethersfield & Glastonbury, Connecticut. A graduate of Harvard College (Class of 1655), Bulkeley was minister at New London, CT from 1661 until 1666 & then at Wethersfield until 1677. Bulkeley became a chaplain & surgeon to Connecticut troops during King Philip's War, during which service he was wounded in the thigh.
Following his departure from the ministry, Bulkeley moved to Glastonbury, where he engaged in medical practice. Bulkeley married Sarah Chauncy, daughter of the minister Charles Chauncy. (Bulkeley's library is listed in his will, dated 26 May 1712 and transcribed in A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records, Vol. II, pp. 165-167.)
Rev. Gershom Bulkley, son of Rev. Peter Bulkley of Concord, Massachusetts, was born on December 26, 1635. His parents were the Rev. Peter Bulkley, who was born January 31, 1582/3, at Odell Co., Bedford, England, & his second wife, Grace Chetwood, who was born about 1602 & died April 21, 1669 at New London, Connecticut. His parents parents came to New England in 1635, after his father, a preacher for twenty years, had been 'silenced' for his non-conformity to the English Church.
Rev. Gershom Bulkeley is named in his father's will dated April 14, 1658 & proved June 20,1659. In a codicil dated February 26, 1658, regarding the list of books appended to the will of Rev. Peter Bulkeley, part of the books were to go to son Edward & the other part to his son Gershom.
Timeline
1655: Graduated Harvard College, B. A.
1658: M.A. from Harvard.
Gershom spent three years after attaining his Master's Degree "at Harvard as a Fellow & Tutor".
1661: Minister at New London, Connecticut, as their second minister.
16664/5: February 25: At a town meeting, it was discussed whether to allow Mr. Bulkeley the 'liberty of his conscience' without compelling him or enforcing him in his office, 'according to the laws of the Commonwealth.'
1665: June 10: Knowing of Rev. Bulkeley's intent to leave New London, the town asked him to stay, until they were able to secure a successor to his ministry.
1667-1677: Minister at Wethersfield, Connecticut.
1675: Appointed by the General Court as surgeon for the army raised against the Indians.
1676: Surgeon, King Philip's War.
1677: Dismissed as pastor at Wethersfield, on his own request citing 'weakness in his voice', he devoted himself to practice in medicine & surgery, which he continued over thirty years.
1677: He removed to his daughter Dorothy's house, on the opposite side of the river, later becoming the town of Glastonbury. As he took his black maid with him, he thus became the first 'slave owner' in that town.
1679: May: Deputy for Wethersfield.
1684: He sued his neighbor John Hollister over a boundary dispute, which he won, but which led to the resurvey of all the Glastonbury lots.
1686: October: Licensed as a physician in Connecticut.
1687: Justice under Governor Andros.
1689: He published a pamphlet on the affairs of Connecticut at Philadelphia, sent to England, but no copy of it is known to exist in this country.
1689: He also wrote a work with the title “Will and Doom, or the Miseries of Connecticut,” by & under a usurped & arbitrary power, being a narrative of the first erection & exercise but especially of the late changes & administration of government in their Majesties Colony of New England in America, demonstrating the he was a Loyalist to the Crown of England
1696: He wrote a letter disputing the witchcraft charges against Mercy (holbridge) Desborough, & detailing his disputes with the testimonies of the witnesses in her case.
He was master of several languages among which may be reckoned the Greek Latin & Dutch. He was famous as a surgeon, preeminent as a chemist, & highly respected as a magistrate.
Military Service
After being installed at Wethersfield, he was appointed by the General Court in 1675, surgeon to the army that had been raised against the Indians in King Philip's War.
He was also placed on the Council of War.
In 1675, while on an expedition the party to which he was attached was attacked by Indians near Wachusett Hill in Massachusetts & he was wounded in the thigh.
Roster of the Officers of the Army of the United Colonies, as organized for the Narragansett Campaign, & as mustered at Pettisquamscot, December 19, 1675. Connecticut Regiment: Robert Treat, of Milford, Major: Gershom Bulkeley, Surgeon.
Gershom married Sarah Chauncey on October 6, 1659 at Concord, Massachusetts . Sarah was born in Ware, England June 13, 1631, daughter of Charles Chauncy, President at Harvard College. His wife Sarah died June 3, 1699 & was buried the next day. He died at Glastenbury, Connecticut on December 2, 1713. The will of Gershom Bulkeley is dated May 26, 1712, & in it he takes note of the grievous illness which he suffered for the last 20 years of his life. Gershom died at Glastonbury, Connecticut at the home of his daughter Dorothy (Bulkeley) Treat, 2 Dec. 1713, ae 77 yrs 11 mos.
They are buried at Wethersfield Village Cemetery, Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut. Inscription: "Rev. & Hon. Gershom Bulkley died Dec. 2nd 1713, aged 77. He was honorable in his descent. Of rare abilities, excellent in learning, master of many languages, exquisite in his skill in divinity, physic & law & a most exemplary & Christian life. In certam spem beatae resurrectionis repositus."
